Joseph Hyder Cowan
Jospeh Hyder Cowan
PVT, US Army, Co G, 117th Infantry Regiment, 30th Infantry Division
World War I
born 9/13/1897 in Butler, TN to Charlotte Cowan.
Cowan joined the Army on 8/22/1917 in Elizabethton, TN and trained at Camp Sevier, Greenville, SC.
His unit - the 117th Infantry Regiment - sailed to Europe on 5/16/1918, landing in France.
The 30th Infantry Division "Old Hickory" had advanced to Mortain, France. Everything seemed under control when it was suddenly hit by 5 German armored divisions. The brunt of this assault landed on the 1st Battalion of the 117th Infantry Regiment which threw every available man into the line and stemmed the attack. The unit was cited for its gallantry.
After crossing the Seine they began an offensive that carried through to Brussels giving them the distinction of being one of the 1st American divisions to enter Belgium and Holland. Incredibly the 30th Division covered 180 miles in 72 hours. After crossing the Meuse River they were ready to assault the Siegfried Line. That offensive began on Oct 2, 1918 and within a week the regiment had lost 34 officers and 1051 enlisted men which included PVT Cowan who was killed in action on 10/8/1918.
Cowan was buried in Somme American Cemetery, Bony, France. He was only 21. In 1921 a monument was erected in front of the old Knoxville High School at the corner of E5th NE St. and Lamar St. NE. It consists of a charging soldier with raised fist and rifle
PVT, US Army, Co G, 117th Infantry Regiment, 30th Infantry Division
World War I
born 9/13/1897 in Butler, TN to Charlotte Cowan.
Cowan joined the Army on 8/22/1917 in Elizabethton, TN and trained at Camp Sevier, Greenville, SC.
His unit - the 117th Infantry Regiment - sailed to Europe on 5/16/1918, landing in France.
The 30th Infantry Division "Old Hickory" had advanced to Mortain, France. Everything seemed under control when it was suddenly hit by 5 German armored divisions. The brunt of this assault landed on the 1st Battalion of the 117th Infantry Regiment which threw every available man into the line and stemmed the attack. The unit was cited for its gallantry.
After crossing the Seine they began an offensive that carried through to Brussels giving them the distinction of being one of the 1st American divisions to enter Belgium and Holland. Incredibly the 30th Division covered 180 miles in 72 hours. After crossing the Meuse River they were ready to assault the Siegfried Line. That offensive began on Oct 2, 1918 and within a week the regiment had lost 34 officers and 1051 enlisted men which included PVT Cowan who was killed in action on 10/8/1918.
Cowan was buried in Somme American Cemetery, Bony, France. He was only 21. In 1921 a monument was erected in front of the old Knoxville High School at the corner of E5th NE St. and Lamar St. NE. It consists of a charging soldier with raised fist and rifle
Meuse-Argonne Offensive
